Are Set 6 students likely to pass Maths?

My Sociology revision class were talking about setting and streaming and my teacher said that those in lower sets for Maths would most likely fail the subject. Do you think being in a bottom set puts student at a disadvantage? When students are placed in bottom sets, do you think teachers give up on them? I'd really like to know what everyone's opinions are.

My school was odd compared to what most people seem to be saying. Basically our year was split into 'S' and 'C' so we had S1, S2 and S3 then C1, C2 and C3. Your number could change for each subject but never the letter.

S1 and C1 had the same maths teacher but at different times. In year 10 and 11 the top performing students in set 1 were taken out of one lesson a week for extra tutoring as we were the only ones to be taught two topic areas so we could get an A/A*. There were 5 from S1 and 5 from C1 so no one other than us 10 were taught surds for example.

The rest of the set 1 classes were taught normally, same with the set 2 classes.

Set 3 were taken out of core PE for extra tutoring to ensure they get a C.

So really the ones with an advantage were C/D borderline and A/A* borderline kids. Anyone else was forgotten about

What grade did you end up getting?

My maths teacher at school taught us (fasttrack) and one the of the lowest sets so the teaching standard would have been the same yet I doubt they were getting A* because the students just don't want to learn which is their parents fault. It's no coincidence that most of the lower sets come from council estates, their parents don't encourage them; they have seen their own parents 'get by' with no qualifications and getting all this free money so think they can do the same. Where most parents were teaching their kids to read and taking an interest, theirs were down the pub. I know this because I don't exactly come from an advantaged background and if it weren't for my dad reading to me and encouraging me I probably would have been in the same position.

I know this isn't always the case, some just can't grasp maths but it is 9 times out of 10. So no they probably aren't that likely to pass maths because you need to want to learn maths to pass it.

How ignorant. Most people 'from council estates' who have parents who don't have the time to teach them it is not because they are down the pub it's because they're working!

My parents tried their best at teaching me from a young age but unfortunately found it very difficult because they had to drop out of school at 15 to help their parents with younger siblings then had to work unsociable hours when I started school! Maybe if schools put a little effort into helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds instead of leaving them to their own devices to focus on the precious A* students who may be lucky enough to have well educated parents and someone who can stay at home to help anyway.

Yes there are reasons as to why those from 'council estates' (btw TSR not all of them are cesspits like you imagine there are terrible ones and quite nice ones) don't do as well but don't be so quick to judge peoples home life when you obviously know nothing about it.

I was speaking from experience and making a point. My dad works from 5 in the morning and doesn't get home until 7/8 doing hard work yet still made time to read to me. My homelife has been very stressful and am no way ignorant. I understand this isn't everyone's situation. Parent's don't even have to actively help their children, just encourage them to try at school and be told that higher education is an option for them. My dad was never encouraged and didn't even see university as an option so didn't do very well at school but is a very smart man. Many parents mainly in council estates encourage their children to leave school as early as possible and get a 'proper job'. I have witnessed this first hand.
At my school the kids in the lower sets were given much more attention than the higher sets but they just didn't want to learn.

I agree that many working class kids are not made aware university was an option. My own family are acting like I've betrayed them by going to university (although this may be jealousy because their kids had no interest). My parents too taught me to read from a young age which was great for my English skills but obviously gave me no understanding of Maths! Maybe your school was like mine where they automatically put bad kids with 'slow' ones. I think that's one of the main problems with many schools those who do want to learn are put in a classroom with those who don't.

It's not all to do with the parents. Of course they have some input in their child's education but some cannot help if their child is underachieving and it's wrong to assume that if their child is not doing well it's because they're down the pub!